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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

Tips on how to protect your home from freezing temperatures!

1/27/2021 (Permalink)

In cold the cold winter Wisconsin months there can be various structural and mechanical systems in a home that have an extra burden when it comes to defending against the elements. In the best of times, water can be a formidable enemy, but as water manifests as ice for weeks or months at a time, the challenges are profound.

Here are a few tips to follow to protect your home:

  1. Guard Your Winter Pipes.

To keep outdoor plumbing fixtures from freezing, disconnect and store any garden hoses as the weather begins to turn cold. Then, shut off the water to your outdoor faucets, drain the lines, and insulate the hose bibs. When indoor plumbing pipes run through exterior walls, take care to monitor them in the winter and make sure wall insulation is up to recommended standards.

  1. Add Insulation

Prevent your pipes from freezing and keep your house warmer by making sure your home has adequate insulation. This includes insulating your exterior walls, crawl space or basement, attic, and in many cases, the pipes themselves. Your local energy utility company may offer free in-home energy audits that can evaluate your energy usage and recommend the necessary steps to bring the R-value in walls and ceilings up to advised levels.

  1. Keep Garage Doors Closed

If your garage is attached to your home, minimize the time your garage door is open. This will help to keep cold air out of your house and protect plumbing fixtures in your garage and pipes in the shared walls between the house and garage.

  1. Maintain Your Thermostat

Make sure you'll be able to keep your thermostat running continuously by keeping spare batteries on hand. Sometimes it's the small details that save the day.

  1. Keep Your Water Shutoff Accessible

Should a water line ever freeze and burst, you will need to shut off the home's water supply immediately. If junk is blocking easy access to your main water shut valve off, rearrange your basement or garage so that it will be easily accessible in the event of a plumbing emergency. Then, make sure the shut-off valve is in good working order. Turning the valve handle all the way clockwise should shut off all water to the house. If the valve is rusted open or only closes partially, replace the main shut-off valve immediately—this is usually a job for a professional plumber.

Go a step further, and make sure everyone in your house knows where the shut off valve is located and how to use it to turn off the water.

At SERVPRO of Brown County we have a team of trained professionals that are ready to take on your particular restoration situation. If you find yourself in need of emergency services or have any questions regarding our water restoration process, please give us a call at 920-434-8224.

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